Plot: Aoyama is chased down by angry loansharks, when a mysterious man in orange saves him from a beating. The man presents Aoyama a way out of the mess he created, and he accepts the offer. Aoyama follows him to a commune outside of town, where he begins his new life. It's a place of freedom, leisure, and happiness, but it also has a strict set of rules the inhabitants are required to follow. Aoyama takes a while to warm up to the place, but with nowhere else to go, he figures he could be worse off. But everything changes when Kimura joins the community.
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July 21, 2025
Shinji Araki's first feature film is mysterious, conceptual, and extremely well-executed. He has a strong and clear idea in his head, which he makes his own by taking on the roles of writer and director. The audience needs to do some of the work, though he gives them ample time to take everything in and complete the puzzle he prepared. The Town of Headcounts is a peculiar film, a unique mix of mystery and near-future sci-fi that is difficult to compare to anything else.